Dark Winters
by Fictionlover28
Summary: Bucky wasn't the only soldier Hydra kept on ice. Two years after the end of CA: TWS, a new Hydra opperative is finishing where Bucky left off. Only this time, the operative enjoys what she is doing. And she won't let anything or anyone get in her way.
1. Attack

**AN: So this is my first real attempt at a Captain America story. It is set a couple of years after the end of the Winter Soldier. I might make this into a real story, might make it a series of one-shots. Tell me which you prefer, please.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Captain America, Bucky Barnes, or anything of the like. I only have my OC.**

A man moved slowly down a sidewalk, enjoying the cool summer night air. He was wearing an old-fashioned leather jacket, plain khaki pants, and a brown t-shirt. He had just finished a nice evening with his best friend. The two had gone to one of their old haunts, reliving old times and laughing like the children they had been the last time they had gone to the place. Due to his happy mood, the man was unaware that he was being watched. On the rooftop above him, slowly watching his every movement, was an assassin. She had been told the name of the man and where to find him. She had not been told his crime or why Hydra wanted him dead. It didn't matter anyway. She was told to kill him, so she would. The rest was superfluous. Though she would never admit it to anyone else, she enjoyed what she did. The anticipation of watching the target, the rush as the target realised they were done for, and the satisfaction of taking the target's life and carrying out orders. That was what's important to her. Just the orders, taking down one target after another.

She was a perfect soldier.

Now, the man rounded a corner into an alley, taking a shortcut to his flat. He took this route often, so he wasn't paying much attention to what was around him. Perfect time for the assassin to strike. Leaping from the rooftop, she landed almost noiselessly on the ground. The jarring landing was lost in her adrenaline rush. She slowly took out a jagged knife. She prefered killing up close and personal, so that the target would know she was the one who took their life. Sneaking up behind the man, she was about to press the knife to his neck, when he turned around. The assassin froze. She expected the man to scream or run away. She wasn't exactly a nice image. Her hair, dyed black, was cut roughly, hanging in matted chunks around her face, which was covered in various scars from Before. Her clothes were skin-tight, black, and always had someone else's blood on it. Her large belt had all sorts of nasty devices on it, mainly torture weapons, and her boots, originally black, were almost falling apart with the number on notches in them, each representing a kill. Despite this, when the man saw her, he just laughed. If she allowed herself to feel anything, the assassin would have been perturbed.

"So this is what Hydra has fallen to? Using children to carry out their dirty work? I don't feel like beating up a child, so run along." With that, the man simply turned around and walked away. Pushing aside any feelings of indignation, the assassin lunged forward, her knife positioned to cut into the man's lungs. Sensing her attack, the man turned around and, in a whip-snap movement, caught her knife between his palms. Twisting her wrist, the man sent the knife flying across the alley floor. "I said I didn't want to beat you up," the man said, shrugging off his jacket. "I didn't say I wouldn't."

Rushing at her, the man swung a well-aimed punch at the girl's head. It would have knocked her out cold, but the assassin ducked under his arm and kicked his back, making the man stumble a couple feet. The assassin smiled, a cold, humorless expression. Even more than killing with her knives, she enjoyed using her hands. Using the alley to her advantage, the girl ran up a wall, twisted in midair, and kicked the man's head. Now he was angry. "Fine, if you want to play it that way."

All emotion drained from his eyes as the man began attacking with a soldier's precession. Now the assassin was on the defensive. She barely parried his attacks, unable to launch a counter-attack. He was strong, and she wasn't used to her targets fighting back. Her arrogance was her undoing, and she was losing. They fought and fought, never showing any signs of stopping or backing down. Each attack the man made forced the assassin to take a step back, drawing closer to where her knife had fallen. The man noticed this. He stopped his attack and quickly grabbed the knife the girl had lunged for. At the same time, the girl took a small knife from her boot. They each pressed their knives to each other's neck, at a stand-off. One move of either's wrist, and someone would die. The assassin would not have hesitated, but she had seen how fast this man moved, and she wasn't ready to die yet.

Using a built-in button on the inside of her boot, the assassin released a cloud of pepper spray from a spot in her belt. The man withdrew immediately, coughing. Not taking any chances, the assassin hopped up a ladder on the alley wall and climbed to the top. She turned over her shoulder and, speaking deliberately, said "Another time, then" before disappearing.

As the cloud dissipated, another man raced into the alley. Seeing his friend not moving, a knife in his hand, surrounded by evidence of a fight, the man asked "Bucky, what happened?" Bucky looked at the knife. The blood-red Hydra symbol stared back at him.

"Hydra wants me dead, Steve."

**AN: Sooo, what did you think? Any and all reviews would be welcome. If I am notified that you like, I will ccontinue the story. **


	2. The Failsafe

**AN: wow, very enthusiastic response to the first chapter. Special shout-out to buckysbutt. Thank you for your amazing review. Assassin and I appreciate it greatly. Speaking of which, let the story continue.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Bucky, Steve, or anything Captain America. Only Assassin is mine.**

Bucky lay awake in bed, staring at the ceiling. He couldn't relax enough to fall asleep; his thoughts wouldn't let him. Bucky kept hearing her voice in his head, over and over again. Her words were like bees, buzzing around his brain. 'Another time, then.' What really struck him was her voice. When he had been under Hydra's control, he had been a machine, devoid of all emotion. Even his own voice had been mechanical. Her voice had been almost...teasing. Like she was looking forward to fighting him again.

Unable to rest, Bucky rolled out of bed. He went to the kitchen and poured himself a glass of water. He didn't really need to sleep, it had just become a habit. Being frozen on and off again had gotten rid of his need to sleep regularly. That got Bucky thinking. Was Hydra freezing the girl too? Was she going through the same memory wiping? "Who are you?" Bucky asked aloud, thinking of her.

**-Hydra Headquarters-**

At the exact moment that Bucky asked this question to no one, the Assassin was being asked that same question. Her supervisor was less than pleased at her first failure.

"Who are you, Assassin?" he spat in her face.

Knowing what he wanted to hear, Assassin said "A weapon, created for the sole purpose of serving Hydra. My work is a gift to humanity, and I do not fail." This time when Assassin spoke, she did not let any hint of emotion in her voice. She was meant to be emotionless.

"Then how could you let him escape? And with a knife branded with Hydra's insignia. Hydra was supposed to have disappeared. Now our enemy could be alerted to our existence. How could you have been so careless?!" The words bounced off Assassin, so the man continued. "You are project Failsafe, created if the Winter Soldier ever turned. And he did turn. You must not fail us." He turned away, still muttering to himself "You must not."

Now Assassin spoke. "Sir, I have never failed a mission before. I do not intend to start now. You yourself said I am Failsafe. I will not fail you. I was simply not prepared. The Target will not surprise me again." Clicking her boots together, arms raised, she cried "Heil Hydra!"

The supervisor seemed calmed by her words. "Dismissed. " he said, indicating for her to leave. Assassin did not wait for him to change his mind. Though she would not let anyone see it, the fight with her target had injured her. Not enough to cause any serious damage, but enough to shake her up. Exiting her supervisor's office, she headed back to her room. When she had first woken up, she had to be kept in a cell. But she had proven that she could be trusted with a room of her own. The door slid open, and Assassin flopped down onto her bed, wincing in pain. Pulling off her shirt and throwing it somewhere in the room, she inspected herself. Her arms were covered in fist sized bruises, but those would disappear by morning. The pain was coming from her chest. Feeling down her sides, the Assassin winced as she prodded a broken rib. Also not too serious, but she would need at least two days to fully heal. Cursing her target, Assassin took off her clothes and jumped into her shower. The hot water steamed up the room and burned her skin, but it felt good. The water helped her think. Examining her body for any other injuries, Assassin noted that she was still too skinny. Her bones jutted out, and the only thing keeping her from resembling a skeleton was her layers of muscle. Various scars covered her body, some from previous missions, some from Before. Assassin traced a particularly nasty scar that ran across her stomach. Even after years, the tissue was still raised and puckered, never fully healed. Assassin could remember the day she got it, the day from Before. But she didn't want to remember.

Smacking herself upside the head, Assassin turned off the water and toweled herself dry. She slipped on a pair of black shorts and a black halter top. Not bothering to try brushing it, Assassin slipped her hair into a black cap, obtained from a past mission. It had become habit to, if she saw something she liked, take clothes while on a mission. Sometimes it was from passerby, sometimes it was from her targets. It didn't matter who had it, she took what she wanted. Walking into the hallway, Assassin tried to focus on today's mission, rather than her memories. The man had startled her. He was clearly a conditioned fighter, and he knew about Hydra. That made him either S.H.I.E.L.D or Hydra agent. Normally, Assassin wouldn't have bothered wondering, but this target was different. He held up in a fight against her; that had never happened before. Something poked its way to the front of Assassin's brain, something her supervisor had said earlier. Something about the Winter Soldier. How she was his replacement should he go rogue, and he did. Then it hit her. The man she had fought earlier was the Winter Soldier. That's why he was able to hold up against her, he had the same advancements she did. It made sense, they had both been created by Dr Zola. There was bound to be a similarity in their abilities. Only he had a metal arm and had been in action longer. Assassin's body was whole apart from the scars, and she had only been in action for two years. She had done a lot in that time, but nowhere near as much as the Winter Soldier. When she had started, he had been her idol. She had wanted to be as great as he had been, until he went rogue.

Hydra had always told Assassin that she did not need to look into her missions. She was only there to kill, not research. But this was different. This was the Winter Soldier. Searching her memory, Assassin said to herself "Looks like I'll be paying Bucky a social call."

**AN: soooo, what did you think? Excited? Curious? Shrinking away in disgust? Tell me what you think.**


	3. What happened to you?

**AN: Soooo sorry for updating so late. There was, and still is, a problem with my network availability. But I promise it will be resolved soon...like a week or two. Anyway, this promises to be a very interesting chapter. I hope it was worth the wait.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything Marvel or any related content. Only Assassin is mine.**

She was supposed to be asleep. Hydra had a very strict curfew, and this was the first time Assassin had ever snuck out. When she should have been tucked under her nice, warm covers, dreaming of her next mission, she was sitting on a hard chair in a cold kitchen, waiting for a man she didn't know. Not the best way to spend an evening.

Breaking into Bucky's flat had been easy. Assassin would have thought that for a guy who used to sneak into people's homes all the time to kill them, Bucky would have had better security on his own. He didn't even lock up his secure files. Waiting for awhile had given Assassin time to poke around. There was nothing really unusual in his flat, besides the gun in his nightstand and the hidden weapons cache in his closet.

'Old habits die hard' Assassin mused to herself. Then she heard it, the long-awaited scrape of a key in the lock. "He's coming" Assassin whispered in a sing-song voice. She crouched down in the seat, playing with the shadows and not drawing attention to herself. Bucky would notice her relatively quickly, if his skills were still sharp, but she wanted to get a good look at him this time.

Bucky entered the apartment slowly, already alerted that someone was there. The tampering with his lock had been obvious, so whoever it was wasn't trying too hard to hide. Bucky reached slowly to the waistband of his jeans, feeling for his gun. He had kept one on him ever since the assassination attempt. Pulling out the gun, Bucky put his finger on the trigger. "I know someone's here. Fair warning, I have a gun and an itchy trigger finger. Show yourself."

"Wow. I'm so scared. Whatever shall I do against the great Winter Soldier and a handgun." Assassin said sarcastically, not intimidated by what she considered to be a toy gun. Compared to her usual arsenal, it was pitiful.

Bucky stepped slowly into the kitchen, gun still extended in front of him. When he saw her, he had to suppress a look of surprise from flitting across his face. The girl was the last person he had expected to find in his kitchen. And she had called him Winter Soldier. Odd.

"Why are you in my house? If you were going to kill me, you could have just bombed the place, so why pay a visit? And the name isn't Winter Soldier" Bucky spat out the name like a curse.

Assassin rolled her eyes. "Cut the dramatics. If I was here to kill you, I would have already, so you're safe for now. I'm here because I can be. But you're not wrong to call this a visit. This is strictly off the record."

This surprised Bucky, yet again. He cautiously slid the gun into his waistband. "So you're here because, what, you wanted to see me?"

Bucky said it sarcastically, but Assassin just shrugged her shoulders and said "Yeah, pretty much."

He didn't know how to respond to this. "I just have a few questions for you, then I'm out of your hair and we can get back to me trying to kill you and you trying to live." She said this almost cheerfully. It struck a nerve in Bucky.

"What if I refuse to answer?" Bucky said, curious to see how she would handle herself if he was stubborn. Would she get angry? Was she capable of anger?

Not even pausing in her response, Assassin said "Stop testing me. It's annoying. I know you are curious about me, so I'll offer you a deal. You answer my questions, I answer yours. To an extent."

"How did you know that?" Bucky asked.

"Let's see. You were carrying a gun so that means you were expecting something. I know that I am the only person who has made an attempt on your life recently, so you were expecting me. Your expression when you saw me was surprised but quizzical. And your computer history has a history of you emailing your friend Steve about me. It's not hard to figure out. Are you even trying, because I'm almost bored."

Bucky was not surprised that she had poked around. It was to be expected. "Fair enough. Deal accepted." Bucky sat down on the seat opposite to Assassin's. "I just have one question first. You already know my name, based on how you found me. But I don't know yours. And are you really as much of a kid as you look? You seem way to young to be with Hydra."

"That's two questions, but I'll play. My name is Assassin. And I'm not much younger than you."

"I am pretty old." Bucky said humolessly.

"Well, the age thing was a compliment for a girl approaching her ninety-second birthday."

Bucky was shocked. "What...how...you're serious?"

"Dead serious. You're not the only one Zola experimented on. I'm just the one who got the looks." Assassin laughed coldly, unconsciously brushing her facial scars. "So, I've answered a lot. Your turn."

"Go for it." Bucky said, but nothing could have prepared him for Assassin's next question.

"Why did you leave Hydra?" This was the question that had plagued Assassin ever since she had learned that the Winter Soldier went rogue. How could anyone just leave Hydra?

Bucky laughed. He thought she was joking. There was no way she couldn't now what Hydra really was. Then he saw her expression."You're serious?" Assassin nodded. "How could I not? Hydra is a cruel, inhumane group of terrorists who should and will burn in hell." Bucky said this with so much hatred and venom in his voice that anyone else would have flinched away, but Assassin only bristled.

"That's not what I asked." She said, spitting Bucky's venom back at him.

Something hit Bucky that he should have realized earlier. "You're loyal to them. You're not under their control, you work for them willingly."

"And I would give my life in service of Hydra, if I had to. Why would they need to control me?"

"You want to know why I left? After every mission they would strap me into a chair and wipe my memories. I couldn't remember who I was, or what my life had been before Hydra. My only purpose was the next mission. And the next one, and the one after that, just an endless flood of killing." Bucky looked down at his hands, as if he was reliving each kill. "They would freeze me, put me to sleep for a time, until I was needed again. Sometimes it was for years at a time, sometimes just a couple weeks. But I couldn't be awake for too long, otherwise I would begin to remember things. They made me into a living weapon.

My last mission was to kill Captain America. Only he was a more difficult target. I couldn't kill him when we first met. Though I didn't remember, he had been my best friend seventy years ago. He called me by my name, and it began to trigger memories. I did almost kill him during the fall of the helicarriers. He fell into the water, he was drowning. But something made me go back and save him. Then I walked away when I saw he was breathing. I spent time abroad, searching for answers to who I was. Steve found me and helped me regain all my memories. I made an honest life for myself, and I've tried to leave all that behind. When I was the Winter Soldier, that wasn't me. That was Hydra using me. The Winter Soldier and are two sides of a coin, and I will never be him again."

Assassin said nothing, thinking. She had never known. She thought that the Winter Soldier was like her, completely devoted to his work. She had thought that she might have found someone to relate to. But she was wrong. This whole visit had been one huge disappointment. Now she had no problem killing him. "Well, I am sorry for taking up your time. I promise, the next time we meet, I'll make your death quick."

Assassin began to walk out of the apartment, but Bucky grabbed her arm, stopping her. "We had a deal. I answer your questions, you answer mine. You need to hold up your end. Or do you really have no honor?"

This struck Assassin in something she didn't think she had, her heart. She considered herself to be a very honorable person. If she made a promise, she kept it. If she had a debt, she repaid it. One debt she was still paying back.

Sitting down heavily she said "Fine. But remember, within reason."

Bucky considered his question carefully. "Why are you so loyal to Hydra?"

Assassin replied slowly. "I owe them." It almost sounded like a question.

"For what?"

She didn't answer. Her mind was swimming. Remembering. A flash of a knife. The wind being knocked out of her from a punch to the stomach. Blood splattering her face from someone's blood. Sitting huddled in a corner, scared. Then a feeling of power as she realized They couldn't hurt her anymore.

Without realizing it, Assassin had begun to shake. she trembled, entering an almost catatonic state. "No. No. I can't remember." Rising suddenly, she screamed "Leave me alone!"

Bucky was startled. It had seemed like a simple question. He hadn't expected her to react like this. Going on instinct, Bucky raised his hands in a gesture of peace. "Hey. Calm down. I'm not going to hurt you. You don't have to answer." He spoke in a calm voice, sensing the danger in her current unstable state.

Assassin saw someone reaching out to her, and she reacted without thinking. She slapped the person across the face. "I'm not going back!"

Bucky reeled back. The slap had stunned him. But he recovered quickly. Moving fast, he grabbed Assassin's arms and pinned her against his chest, her body against his.

Assassin tried to free her hands. "No. I won't. Not again. You can't make me. Not anymore."

"Assassin!" Bucky yelled, trying to snap her out of whatever had possessed her.

Assassin shook her head, training kicking in and she shook her head. The memories faded, and she saw she was against Bucky. She realized he had yelled. It was one of the few things that could stop the memories once they took hold. Left scared and shaken after the memories, Assassin leaned into Bucky's chest and began to cry. She didn't care that he was seeing her vulnerable, she just needed release. Normally she would have just cried in the privacy of her room, or maybe in the shower under scalding hot water, but being held felt nice.

Bucky was stunned. This girl who had seemed so tough and strong, who had recently tried to kill him, was crying on his shirt. Feeling more than a little odd, Bucky released Assassin's arms and held her in a hug. She was so small and thin, it was like holding a child.

Assassin cried and cried. "Don't let them get me. Promise you'll keep me safe."

Not sure what else to say, Bucky said "I promise. You're safe here." Feeling Assassin sway slightly, Bucky saw she was falling asleep. Wary of any other mood changes, Bucky scooped her up in his arms, carrying her. She seemed to weigh almost nothing.

She didn't fight. She was too tired. So tired. Assassin felt something soft under her back and something warm placed over her. Then she was lifted slightly and something fuzzy was slid under her head. Assassin's eyes were shut tight, crusted with dried tears. As sleep enveloped her, she whispered out "Thank you" before giving in to unconsciousness.

**Worth the wait?**


	4. After affects

**AN: So, no reviews for my last chapter. Feeling slightly upset :( well, if you do decide to speak up, it would be appreciated.**

Assassin slept soundly that night. Her senses shut off from the world around her, and her head filled with dreams. In one dream, she was looking in a mirror, and her scars were gone. All traces of her past vanished. In another, Assassin was sitting on a picnic blanket, watching the sunset. Then strong arms pulled her up and into a dance. The music was soft and sweet, the mood created was magical. Assassin danced and danced, matching her partners steps with her own. She looked up to see who her partner was. Her heart jumped when she saw his face. "Bucky" she said, and dream Bucky smiled down at her. The look in his eyes was one saved for people who were in love. He looked at her like she was the most important thing in the world, like she was his world. That was the last thing Assassin saw before she woke up, Bucky smiling at her.

The Bucky she woke to, however, was another story. He was sitting in an armchair across from Assassin, watching her. "About damn time" he said "I was beginning to think I would have to wake you up myself, and I was not relishing that thought."

Assassin groaned, her brain had yet to remember why she was here. Then it hit her. The events of last night, sneaking out, talking to Bucky, her panic attack. Then she felt his arms around her, so like her dream. "Oh shit." Assassin said, hiding her face in her hands. "On a scale of one to ten, how much did I freak you out?" Assassin questioned, wondering what Bucky thought. She would already be in deep trouble when she got back to headquarters, so it didn't matter if she lingered. Right now, her defenses were down, as they usually were after one of these episodes. For now, she actually cared what he thought.

"Not that much. Maybe a two, because it was unexpected, but it makes sense." Bucky said honestly, and Assassin shot him a questioning glare. "You have PTSD. You encountered something traumatic, so now every time you remember what happened, your body goes into fight or flight and you have a panic attack. It's common among soldiers."

"But I'm not a soldier. I'm an Assassin." she spat, not appreciating this course of conversation. "What may or may not have happened to me is past. If anything bad happens to me now, I can just kill the person responsible." Here defenses returned in a snap. No way was she breaking down in front of him again. Standing quickly, she said "Thanks for the therapist crap, but I need to get back."

"You need help." Bucky said, concerned for Assassin. Something really bad had happened to her, and he wanted to know what. He couldn't explain why, but he felt sorry for this girl. He wanted to help her. Deciding to play on something he knew would catch her attention, Bucky said "How are you supposed to fulfill your dept to Hydra if you have a panic attack every time you remember something?"

Assassin paused. He had a point. Her episodes were becoming worse and worse. One day she wouldn't be able to hide it anymore. Then an idea occurred to her. Rising out of her seat before he could stop her, she walked to the paused in the doorway, then called over her shoulder "I guess I'll just have to forget."

**Sorry for the late update. This was mainly a filler chapter, setting up the next one. I'll try to post it as soon as possible. Can you guess what Assassin has in mind?**


	5. Target acquired

**AN: It has been brought to my attention that my chapters need to be longer. I promise to try, but no promises. Also, school will be starting for me soon, so I will probably be updating less. However, I will update when possible. I will try to get in a good two to three chapters before than.**

**Disclaimer: You know the drill. No Marvel stuff is mine, just Assassin.**

**Warning: this chapter has a murder scene. It will not be too graphic, but it will be dark. Viewer discretion is advised, and a note that the actions of my character in no way reflects my own tendencies. **

Assassin walked calmly out of Bucky's apartment complex, taking a moment to enjoy the sun on her face. The bright yellow warmth soaked into her pale skin. She was so rarely out during the day, it was an opportunity she would not miss. Her supervisor would be freaked out when she returned, so she needed time to think up some excuse for her absence. Strolling down the sidewalk, Assassin felt many stares on her face and appearance. She had cleaned the blood off her clothes for her visit to Bucky's, but there was nothing she could do about her face or hair.

Assassin ran a hand through her hair. The number of tangles was impressive. Despite the state of neglect it was in, she could feel a hint of long ago softness. In the places where her hair hung down from the clumps, the strands felt silky and luxurious. The black took away from the simple beauty. It wasn't her natural hair color, so it was like she was feeling and seeing a stranger's hair. She should have been used to the color after eighty years, but it always took a moment for her to recognize herself. The same thing happened when she passed a mirror. Assassin's reflection was not what it had once been. Even her name, Assassin, didn't register sometimes. She still expected to be called be another name. But that name belonged to another time, a time of long, dark chocolate hair that was brushed and cared for. Now it was just another symbol for how she had changed. What had once been her pride and joy had been cut short and left to spoil. Not unlike herself.

Strolling down the street, Assassin watched the people. An old woman being dragged along by a little girl to look at pretty window displays, couples unable to keep their hands off each other, families laughing and smiling together. And she noticed the not so pleasant things. A homeless man held a sign, begging for money. Assassin saw several people give the man change, but one older fellow just scoffed in disgust. Assassin swiped his phone from his pocket for a laugh, and for retribution. A man gripped a woman's wrist to tightly and whispering harsh words in her ear. Assassin didn't want to intervene with that, but she wished the woman luck and courage. A little boy looked around, unable to find his caretaker, almost to tears.

This last observation touched something inside of Assassin that she didn't know was still there. She knew all to well what happened when children were left alone, personal experience having been a harsh teacher. Making her way through the crowd, she kneeled down to look at the little boy. He was wearing a bright red shirt and jeans with sneakers. He couldn't have been any older than nine, if that. His skin was dark brown, and his eyes, which looked to be a soft brown, here clouded over with tears. "Are you okay, little boy?" Assassin asked, using a soft voice.

Fighting back tears, the little boy sniffled. "I can't find my Uncle. He told me to stay close because of all the people, but I got distracted by the TV window and I lost him."

Assassin knew that this happened far too much, children getting distracted and losing their guardians. "It's okay, sweetie. We'll find your Uncle. Do you know his phone number?" It was a long shot, but it would be the best way to find his Uncle. The little boy nodded. He rambled off a number, and Assassin committed it to memory. Taking out the phone she had swiped earlier, she typed in the number and dialed it. The tone rang twice before someone answered.

"Hello?" A male voice asked on the other line, worry clouding his tone.

"Hello sir. There is a little boy here. He was alone on the street and had no guardian visible. When asked, he gave me this number. Are you his Uncle?" Assassin kept her voice cool and calm, knowing the man would be panicking.

"Yes! That's my nephew Adam. If you need proof of this, ask him what my nickname is for him. The answer is Little Falcon." The man said, relief thick in his voice.

Assassin asked the little boy what his name was. The boy replied Adam. She asked what his Uncle's nickname for him was, and Adam's answer confirmed what the man had said. Assassin told the man to meet her at a nearby café. It would be easier than trying to find him on the street. Assassin reassured Adam that they were going to meet his Uncle. Adam smiled brightly, and he followed Assassin, skipping slightly. Clearly a little afraid he would get lost again, Adam grabbed onto Assassin's hand. The contact startled Assassin, and she did all she could not to pull away. But eventually she decided that she didn't mind, so she let him hold on. They reached the café, and Assassin found them a table near the front, close to the street with a clear line of visibility. She ordered a coffee for herself, then ordered hot chocolate and a cookie for Adam. Paying in cash, Assassin brought the drink and food back to the table, where Adam was watching the street anxiously. Setting down the offered sustenance, she noted that Adam stared at her suspiciously.

"What?" She asked, taking a long sip of her coffee. Assassin had to hold back a groan as it hit her taste buds, it was so good.

"Are you an Evil Bad Warrior?" He asked suddenly, and Assassin was startled.

"What's an Evil Bad Warrior?" She asked, mildly curious.

"It's what my Uncle calls bad guys who hurt kids. They each use different methods to get kids to trust them, but it ende the same way. The kids are taken and they never see their families again. Uncle told me that one of the Warriors gives kids food that has bad stuff in it that makes them fall asleep. Then the kid is taken. Are you that Evil Bad Warrior?" Adam explained.

Assassin almost chuckled. This kid was a smart little guy for someone his age. It was endearing in a way. "No, I am not an Evil Bad Warrior." Assassin said, though part of her knew that was a lie. She was a bad guy, she just didn't hurt children.

"That's what Uncle said the Warrior would say before they take you." Adam was being very cautious, so Assassin decided on a compromise.

Grabbing a straw and fork, she said "What if I prove it to you? I'll take one bite of the cookie and one sip of the drink, and then when I don't fall asleep you'll know I'm telling the truth." Adam nodded, agreeing with the plan. Assassin broke off a smile part of the cookie and drank a small sip of the hot chocolate. Adam watched her closely. Deciding to have fun with the kid, Assassin faked a shocked expression then rolled her head around and went limp in her seat, eyes closed. She could hear Adam gasp, then begin to mutter worriedly. Waiting a moment longer, Assassin popped open her eyes and said "Boo! Gotcha!" Adam shrieked slightly, but then broke into laughter. Assassin laughed too. She couldn't remember the last time she laughed this much. Well, she did remember, she just didn't want to. Adam munched on the cookie and drank his hot chocolate happily, and Assassin was glad she had gained his trust. Barely two minutes later, a man barged into the café. He was dark-skinned with close-cropped black hair. He wore a black t-shirt and jeans despite the warm weather, and sunglasses covered his eyes.

Spotting Adam and Assassin, the man raced over. He scooped up Adam from where he was sitting, and pulled him into a tight hug. "Adam, I am so sorry. I thought you were right behind me!"

Adam smiled in his Uncle's arms. "It's okay, Uncle Sam. This woman was nice and looked out for me." Then Adam leaned forward and whispered into the man's ear "Don't worry, she's not an Evil Bad Warrior."

Assassin could easily hear what Adam said; the kid was terrible at whispering. "It was no problem. I was happy to help." The man set down Adam, noticing Assassin for the first time. Really noticing her. Assassin could see him warring with himself to not react to her features.

Composing himself, he said "Thank you for looking out for my nephew Miss..."

Assassin paused. She hadn't thought of a name to tell the man. Choosing a name off the top of her head, she replied "Allison. My name is Allison Price." Assassin tried not to wince. Allison Price had been the name of one of her past targets. It had not been one of Assassin's better kills.

The man reached out his hand. "Miss Price. I'm Sam Wilson." He reached into one of his pockets and pulled out a card. "One good turn deserves another. I'm a pilot, so of you ever need help getting somewhere, call me." Assassin took the card and thanked him. Sam knelt and said "Adam, buddy, time for us to be heading home."

Adam nodded, then headed over to Assassin. He tugged on the edge of her shirt until she kneeled down. Then Adam threw his arms around Assassin. She couldn't stop herself from flinching. The sudden contact was unexpected, but not unwelcome. Forgetting herself for a moment, Assassin let a small smile cross her face, and she wrapped her arms around Adam in return. "Take care of yourself, kid." Picking up Adam, Assassin handed him to Sam. "Take good care of him. He's a sweet little guy."

"Will do. Thanks for taking care of him." With that, Sam exited the café, Adam cradled in his arms. Assassin watched them go. She was almost sad to have to say goodbye to Adam. She hadn't had that much fun in a long time. Unfortunately, it was time to get back to Hydra. 'Wait a minute. Where did THAT thought come from?' Assassin asked herself. 'I am loyal to Hydra. I owe them a dept, and I will not let some little boy stop me from doing my duty.' Deciding to put this whole incident behind her, Assassin walked out of the café and towards headquarters. It was time to get back to work.

**-Back at Hydra-**

"Where the hell have you been, Assassin?!" Her supervisor demanded when she arrived. "You were gone the ENTIRE NIGHT and MOST OF THIS MORNING! You better have a damn good excuse for your absence or I will petition for you to go BACK ON ICE!"

Easily slipping into her emotionless façade, Assassin said "I spent the time doing reconnaissance on my current target. I have never failed to take down a target, so I wanted to gather information on him. I was absent this morning because I fell asleep on my way here. Staying up all night was not beneficial toward my bodily functions. It will not happen again." Assassin had never lied to a superior before, so it felt more than a little strange. But it was better than having to tell the truth. That would certainly have put her on ice.

The Supervisor sighed. "Did you at least gain any useful information?" He questioned, trying to make the best out of this situation.

"Yes, sir. The next time I face the target, he will be eliminated."

The Supervisor sighed. "While it is good that you are so dedicated to this, you have put me in a difficult position. You have never failed a mission yet, but the actions you are taking are reminiscent of those undertaken by the Winter Soldier before his desertion. I'll talk to the Boss, but there might have to be some changes." With that, he left.

Assassin headed to her room, in desperate need of a hot shower and clean clothes. And maybe trying something with her hair. After a long shower, Assassin ended up taking a pair of scissors and cutting off the worst of the tangles. She took a comb and brushed out the remaining tangles. Her hair now only brushed the tops of her ears, but it was better. Assassin changed into a pair of black skinny jeans and a gray tank top, neither of which had blood on them. Then she changed from her boots into a pair of beat-up converse sneakers. Outfit complete, Assassin grabbed the card Sam had given her and tucked it into the space between her mattress and bed frame. Then she took out a paper and pen and started writing. She wrote for what felt like hours, not wanting to miss a single detail. Then she bound the pile together with a note on top. Assassin tucked that in the same space as the card. Then she headed out. She found the supervisor in his office. "Sir, there is something I would like to ask you. I..."

"That will have to wait, Assassin." the supervisor interrupted. "You have another target. It's fairly basic, so it shouldn't impede on your other mission." He slid a folder to Assassin across his desk. "That's the basic information. Face, location, name, the works. The pilot will take you to the site in ten, so suit up." Assassin saluted, hiding her exasperation. She had really needed to ask him something, but it would have to wait. Heading out of his office, instead of turning right to go to her room, she headed left to go to the armory. That's where she would grab her weapons for the mission ahead before changing. Assassin was familiar with the weapons manager. He was almost as enthusiastic about guns and knives as Assassin was. Sliding the metal grate open, she stepped into the armory. The walls were stacked with crates, each containing various weapons. Assassin had spent hours going through each of them when she started working. On the ceiling hung various kinds of whips and ropes, good for tying up and torturing targets. Not that Assassin ever did, she preferred a clean kill. Most of the time.

"Here for the mission?" Robert, the weapons manager, asked. He had been leaning against a pile of grenade crates when Assassin first walked in. He was a big man, rippled with muscles. His hair was buzz cut, military style. He stood nearly 6'3, which was intimidating for normal people, but not Assassin since she was at least 5'10. Robert always wore the same thing, a tight black t-shirt and green camouflage pants.

"Yup. What do you have for me? I haven't read over the mission details yet, so surprise me." Assassin said, excited about getting her hands on some weapons that would really hurt. She had some built up energy in her system, and killing a few people would help her relax.

"Well, there's some standard grenades, an AK-47, and some serrated clip point gator knives that will really hurt your target if you get close up."

This made Assassin smile. "Sounds great. Have it loaded onto the plane along with my favorite handgun." Robert knew Assassin had a particular taste in weaponry, and one handgun in particular she really liked. Robert always made sure it was loaded with her other gear.

Heading out of the armory, Assassin went to her room. Her hands shook slightly with excitement as she got dressed. The adrenaline rush she experienced when prepping for a mission was always amazing. It was like she was only really living when she was killing. Stripping out of her current attire, Assassin pulled on a pair of black latex pants, made of thick material and reinforced around the knees. It had several pockets up and down the legs, good for storing knives and other small weapons. Assassin slipped on her belt, and from a box under her bed, she slipped a couple poisons, a coil of barbed wire, long-range binoculars, and small throwing knives into various pockets. Then she slipped on a black long-sleeve t-shirt. There was a red Hydra symbol over where her heart would be, and a matching bullet proof vest went over that. The sleeves had metal plates up each arm, jagged at the edges for slicing opponents if they grabbed her. A pair of black gloves went over her hands, metal plates sewn in above the knuckles backed her punches. Her usual boots went on too, and she made sure that the pepper spray activator button was clear for activation if necessary. Then she grabbed a black hair net and tucked her hair into a black hat. She hadn't worn it last time because she had been cocky, but now she slipped on a black metal mask that covered everything but her eyes. She also grabbed a pair of goggles just in case.

Heading out of her room, Assassin made her way to the hangar. The room was immense, at least as large as two football fields. The entire place was filled with planes, cars, and other machinery in various states of use and repair. An agent waved her over to her usual plane. It was an agent she had seen before, but never remembered his name. Not exchanging any pleasantries, they both headed into the plan. The pilot strapped himself into the front seat, and Assassin got settled in with the cargo. As the plane started up, Assassin pulled out the folder. Her target's name was Fred Williman. He lived in Toamasina, Madagascar. He was usually a stay at home person, but when he did venture out it was to pray at the local church. Besides that, information was listed. There was a picture that showed a pale-skinned, balding man in his mid-forties. It didn't say who he was, why Hydra wanted him dead, or anything. Assassin tried to convince herself that it didn't matter, just like she usually did, but this time she felt a lingering sensation. It chewed at her brain and clawed at her heart. She wanted to know who he was and what he had done. What if she was going to kill an innocent man?

Assassin shook her head. This wasn't like her. She was really messed up. The sooner she killed this guy and asked her supervisor her question, the better. She couldn't let her personal feelings get in the way of her job. What use was she to Hydra if she couldn't kill?

The flight would take a few hours, so Assassin decided to catch up on some rest. She hadn't lied earlier about being tired. The events of today had drained her. It was surprising, considering she had slept for decades, but she still slept as a regular thing anyway. She was wierd that way. Assassin was positive she could go without sleep for awhile if she tried, but she wasn't keen to test that hypothesis. Using her arm as a pillow, Assassin laid down on the floor and slipped into a dreamless sleep.

**-Toamasina, Madagascar-**

Assassin was woken what felt like only a few minutes later. The plan had stopped and the pilot was glowering down at her. "Okay, I'm up." Assassin groaned. Standing quickly, she popped her back and stretched. Not the most uncomfortable place she had ever slept before, but her muscles were in knots. Once she was stretched, she opened up the crates her weapons were in. The knives she strapped to her belt, but she slipped one into her right boot. The gun she placed in a holster on her hip. She left the machine gun in the crate, certain she wouldn't need it. The machine gun was great for shooting out lots of bullets, but the accuracy was terrible. A clean kill with a knife was better.

It had been timed so the plane would land when it was night time, so the target should be home asleep by now. Slipping out of the hatch, Assassin took in her surroundings. She was surrounded by dense jungle, the only signs of life were noises made by jungle animals. The target's house was exactly two miles north from her location, so Assassin started making her way through the jungle. She kept her ears alert for any sign of enemies or civilians that might report her. Especially in this terrain, she had to be aware of wild animals. They were more of a wildcard then humans.

It took maybe ten minutes to reach the target's dwelling. Set in the middle of a clearing in the jungle, it was raised slightly off the ground by some bamboo poles. The walls were wooden, and the roof was thatched. Assassin could just set the thing on fire if the mood struck. But it would be more fun if she just went inside and killed him in his sleep. That way she could make it look like an animal attack, which would give a good case for the police and draw away suspicion. Checking the door, it was completely unlocked. The guy was cocky. That also meant he could be expecting an attack, so the front door was too obvious. Slipping around the back, she noted two windows. Both were dark, no obvious lights on. That didn't mean he was asleep. Spotting a good climbing tree, Assassin climbed to a good height where she could peer in. Taking out her binoculars, Assassin focused on the house. Through the window, she saw two rooms, separated by one wall. A flimsy wall at that. Switching to heat-sensors, there were one heat signature in the house. It was the size and shape of a man. Since he was alone, it made things less complicated. Assassin watched him and, seeing no movement, decided he was asleep. Now her adrenaline was flowing. Here came the fun part. Opening the front door, Assassin walked right in. This was looking to be all too easy. Stepping through the kitchen, she marched into the bedroom. Her target was sound asleep, sprawled across a large bed, tangled up in his sheets. Smirking, Assassin drew one of her knives from her belt.

Assassin locked the window and bedroom door. It wouldn't be fun if the target ran away. Moving to the headboard, she slowly peeled back the sheets and tied the target's hands to the headboard. The knots were tight enough to hold him but not leave marks. The target was a heavy sleeper. He hadn't woken at all when she tied him up. Assassin wanted him awake while she killed him. No one would hear the screams at this distance, and it would take some time to leave enough knife marks to look like an animal had killed him. Putting the knife in her left hand, Assassin drew back her right and smacked the target flat across the face. He startled awake. He tried to sit up, but quickly noticed that he was secured. The target looked, wide eyed, to where Assassin stood. Then he seemed to...relax.

"I knew they would send someone for me eventually. It was only a matter of time. Hydra never leaves loose ends." He stretched slightly, exposing his neck. "Just make it quick."

Assassin smiled beneath her mask. "But that wouldn't be as much fun." Moving quickly, Assassin jumped onto the bed and straddled the man's legs. Using her knife, she cut off his shirt. She drew the dull side of the blade against his skin. "Where to start." She asked aloud. Suddenly, with no warning, she slashed a long line from the man's collarbone to his stomach, not deep enough to kill him, but enough to bleed. The man screamed. Assassin relished in the screams. A part of her gloried in seeing the blood drip from his wound. But another, smaller and stranger, part of her was disgusted with herself. 'This won't be as much fun with a conscience.' Assassin thought to herself.

Suddenly, the man started laughing. "You don't even know why you're killing me, do you? Hydra just told you what to do and you do it. You're their little attack dog."

This grated on Assassin's nerves. "Shut up." She hissed.

But the man kept talking. "I bet you don't even have a name. They probably took it from you. They tell you that what you're doing is what's best for humanity, but guess what? You are no more valuable to them than any other of the dozens of pawns on their chessboard of hell. They don't give a shit about you."

"SHUT UP!" Assassin screamed, and she slashed her knife into his neck, killing him instantly. She stared down at her hands. They were shaking and covered in blood. The target's blood. Assassin had never let herself be used like that, to get to such a point of rage that she killed without thinking. It scared her. Pulling herself together, Assassin repeated to herself that it would all be better soon. Everything would be okay. Walking out of the room, almost in a trance, Assassin turned on the stove. The gas leaked out, releasing a slight hissing sound. Assassin walked out of the house, a box of matches in hand. To hell with an animal attack, she wanted this done. Striking all the matches at once, she tossed them all through the open doorway. Assassin turned to walk away, and the house exploded behind her. She felt the hear wave hit her, but she didn't stumble. She relished in the pain. At least it was something beyond the numbness that fille her.

Making it back to the plane, all she said to the pilot was "Go." Without any words, he leaped into the cockpit and started up the plane. Assassin took out the knife and, moving slowly, sliced a notch into her left boot. It didn't feel right, leaving a mark of victory for the murder. But it would have been worse to push him out of her mind like he was nothing. Removing all her weapons, Assassin lay down on the floor and tried to sleep. She didn't dream, but she was able to rest the entire way back to headquarters. Assassin raced to her supervisor's office. She barged in, not bothering knocking. "Sir, we need to talk." She began, but stopped when she saw who was sitting across from him.

"Ah, Assassin. I was hoping you would be here. I would like you to meet our mutual friend. He lost his way, but now fate has brought back our most valuable recruit, willingly this time."

The man in the chair rose. He turned to face Assassin. "Hello again." Bucky said.

**Reviews?**


	6. Partner!

**So sorry for the late update. Been busy with school and all that jazz. Hope this is okay.**

**Also, for this chapter, I'm going to do something new. There is a song for this chapter. It is _So What by Pink._ Because, you know, the song is badass. Assassin is badass. It fits.**

**Disclaimer: All I own is my OC and the plotline.**

Assassin stood, frozen, staring at the man in front of her. Bucky was not meant to be here. No, Bucky COULD NOT be here. He was the one person besides herself who knew where she had really been last night. If he told the Supervisor, Assassin would go back on ice. Or worse.

"I'm sorry, sir. What did you say?" Assassin asked, her face composed in a face of mild confusion. "I was under the impression that this was my target."

The supervisor looked annoyed. "Yes, well, now he's your partner. You two will continue the work of Hydra together."

"If I may, sir, ask how this man can be trusted. You yourself have told me to avoid his actions before. He is, as I recall, a traitor."

Now Assassin's supervisor was pissed. "This is the problem with you, Assassin. You think too much. If i say he is loyal to Hydra, he is loyal. If i say he is no longer your target, he is not. He is what i say it is, and you do not question my decision. AM I CLEAR?!" He was practically screaming.

Though this did not really scare Assassin, she made herself flinch and look scared. "Yes sir."

Bucky took this moment to speak up. "Sir, Assassin raises a good point. If she is to be my partner, she should be able to trust me. She deserves to know why I have returned home."

The Supervisor seemed calmed by this. "Very well. You can explain, if you wish. But I want you two in the training room in thirty minutes, at most. You two need to learn how to work together, how you fight together. Dismissed."

Bucky gave a sharp salute before turning and exiting quickly. Assassin waited behind for a moment. "Sir, there is still something I need to ask you. I..." Her supervisor cut her off.

"Assassin, I am not in the mood to deal with your silly questions. Ask the Soldier, but do not pester me for the rest of the day. Or I may change my mind about putting you on ice now that the Asset is back."

Assassin saluted, almost mockingly. Then she left hurriedly, her boots almost stomping into the ground. Bucky was waiting for her outside the office. He leaned cockily against the wall, staring her down. "So, partner, I heard you have some questions for me."

By this point, with everything that had happened today, Assassin was seriously pissed off. This was just the cherry on top. "No, I don't. And you know what?" She spat, stepping closer to Bucky, so their chests were inches apart. "I'm onto you. My Supervisor may be buying your coming home bullshit, but not me. So you listen, very closely." Assassin looked Bucky dead in the eye as she hissed out her next words. "This my turf, my home, and the rules have changed. Mess with my home, fail an assignment, hell, disobey one order. Just give me one reason too, and by the time i am done with you, you will be begging for me to kill you." Taking a step back, Assassin gave Bucky a false smile. "Welcome back, partner." Her voice was dripping with fake sweetness and sarcasm.

Turning on her heel, Assassin quickly strode away to the training room. She needed to hit something. Bucky watched her retreating form. "Well shit."

**-Training Room-**

Assassin stomped into the room, her anger rolling off in waves. Making her way over to a row of lockers, she threw hers open and snatched out her training outfit. Not caring who saw her, Assassin peeled off her blood-stained uniform. Standing in just her bra and undergarments, Assassin shoved the outfit to the back of her locker. She slipped on a pair of black shorts that fit her like a second skin, barely reaching the tops of her knees. She threw on a black sports bra over her regular one, and a black form-fitting tank top over that. Grabbing some black punching tape out of her locker, Assassin slammed the door shut and made her way over to a punching bag in the corner. The entire training room was about the size of a school gymnasium, that is to say, really big. The back of the room was occupied by an army of dummies and targets. That served as the shooting range. Weapons with practice ammo lined part of one wall. The front had various workout machines, as well as punching bags hanging off the walls. Knives and sparring staffs cluttered up the left wall, opposite from the practice gun wall. The front wall was where the lockers were. Everyone had their own, though it was often a prank among agents to switch around other people's stuff as a joke. No one was dumb enough to touch Assassin's things, or their own would end up burnt and covered in questionable substance. The center of the room was occupied by a huge, elevated pad. It was like a boxing ring, but it had no sides, and was surrounded by a ring of foam pads. It was common practice for the loser of a match to be thrown from the pad. The ring prevented any serious injuries from the throwing. Assassin had tossed many a grown man over the edge. She herself had never lost a match.

Wrapping the tape tightly around her hands, Assassin attacked the bag. Every negative feeling she had felt today, every word that had been thrown at her, she pushed it all into her punches. The thud of her fists on the leather was the only sound in the dimly lit room. Assassin pictured the bag as her Supervisor's face, and her hits flew faster and harder. Then Bucky's face popped into her mind, and hitting the bag wasn't satisfying enough to deal with her rage. Ripping off the tape, Assassin grabbed a handful of knives off the wall. Moving to the back off the room, Assassin faced the blank, featureless faces of the dummies. It was all too easy to see them all as Bucky's smirking face. Assassin put one knife in her right hand, holding the rest in her left. Without even needing to pause, she threw the knife into the dead center of the first dummy's face. Assassin walked down the row, throwing a knife at each dummy as she went. She hit each one in the center of it's face. She didn't miss. The last knife she threw flew so hard into the dummy that it fell over, creating a domino effect that brought all of them crashing down.

"Damn, I'd hate to be those dummies now. Must suck to have a knife thrown into your face." Bucky called from across the room.

Assassin turned, glaring at him. Snatching a knife from a nearby dummy, she said "Want to find out?" Not even waiting for a response, Assassin threw the knife. It sailed across the room, aimed for Bucky. In a lightning fast move the Assassin's eyes could barely follow, Bucky snatched the knife from the air with his left hand, shifted it to his right, and threw it back. Assassin barely had time to duck before it went sailing over where her head had been. "What the hell was that?!" Assassin screeched.

Bucky shrugged. "You attacked me first. Turnabout is fair play."

His calm demeanor pissed Assassin off even more. "Any fool agent in Hydra can throw a knife. Do you think you could beat me in the ring?" She challenged. Her eyes dared him to accept.

Smirk extending over his face, Bucky said "You really think you can take me, kid?"

Assassin shrugged off her tank top, standing in only her sports bra and shorts. In a quick move, she flipped over the mass of pads and landed in the center ring. Crouching into a fighting stance, she replied "Let's find out." Her tone was taunting, and Bucky took the bait. He removed his own shirt, a plain white t-shirt, then made his way to the ring in only a pair of gray sweatpants. Assassin took a moment to admire his form. Though she did not pay attention to any male figures unless she was sizing them up to fight, she appreciated Bucky's muscles. His torso was a mass of hard abs and square pectorals, perfect except for a puckering of scar tissue on his left shoulder where his metal are met flesh. Both his real arm and his metallic one were well built, thick biceps and strong forearms, toughened from defending against attacks. 'He's rather pretty, for a traitor.' Assassin silently admitted to herself.

Bucky climbed into the center of the ring. "Like what you see?" He said, that self-satisfied smirk back.

Assassin chuckled. "Well, it's only fair since you checked out my ass when we parted ways earlier." She smiled when the smirk left for a moment, a tinge of red crawling into Bucky's cheeks at being called out.

"Are we going to fight or what?" Bucky said, quickly changing the subject.

Nodding, Assassin took up her place once more, sizing Bucky up. She could see him doing the same. He would obviously favor heavy punches, meant to overpower a target. But Assassin was not going to underestimate his agility; she had made that mistake when they first fought. She would have to outwit Bucky, catch him off guard. Circling each other, they waited for the other to make the first move. Assassin wanted Bucky to make the first move, maybe she could get behind him and land a good couple of blows. Assassin faked a rush attack, fully expecting Bucky to drop and try to trip her. He did, and she quickly rolled over his back and punched him quickly in the back. That sent him stumbling, and Assassin landed a quick kick on his butt. She was toying with him. Bucky laughed. "You did the same thing when we first met, remember?"

Assassin smirked. "Remember this?" And she sent a punch flying at his head, but Bucky caught her fist firmly in midair.

"I seem to remember something like that." He jabbed her stomach, winding her. Pulling her fist free, Assassin rolled under Bucky's legs, wrapping her feet around his waist. He crashed onto the mat next to her from the pull. Spinning, Assassin straddled Bucky's lap, legs pinning his arms at his sides.

"Yield" Assassin demanded, one hand on his throat, the other held back, ready to punch.

Bucky chuckled. "You know what, I like you a lot better in this position."

Realising exactly what he meant, Assassin fought down a blush. It didn't work. The redness creeped up her neck and into her cheeks. Bucky laughed at seeing her so flustered. That just made Assassin mad. "Do you yield?" She said, her voice an octave higher than usual.

Bucky stopped laughing "Alright. I yield, you win."

Satisfied, Assassin stood up. Holding out her hand, she helped Bucky off the floor. Suddenly, Bucky grabbed her waist and threw her quickly over the edge of the pad, landing in a heap on the protective mats. Bucky smirked down at here. "Step one, kid, never help you're opponent. You will undoubtedly get tossed around."

Rising quickly, Bucky grabbed his shirt and left the room. Assassin wriggled out of the pile of mats, landing on all fours. The match had helped to dispel her original anger, but now she was pissed at Bucky for humiliating her like that. Grabbing her own shirt, Assassin headed out of the training room. As she left the room, with a loud cry, she punched a hole in the door. Bucky was not going to get away with that.

**Oh snap! Reviews?**


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